Automatic light-regulator for motion-picture apparatus



e. R. AND e. w. CARLETON.

AUTOMATIC LIGHT REGULATOR FOR MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I6, I9I6- v Patented Feb. 24,1920.

2 SHEEIS-S I-IEET I.

' 7?. Cal/(M, anucnfow %1 @Hozmv Z RAY C. R. AND G, W. CARLETON.

AUTOMATIC LIGHT REGULATOR FOR MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-16,1916.

2 SHEEISSHEET 2- Patented Feb. 24,1920.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

' CHARLES It. CARLETQN AND GIDEON W. CARLETON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC LIGHT-REGULATOR FOR MOTION-PICTURE APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

7 Be it known that we, CHARLES R. CARLETON and GIDEQN W. CARLETON', citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Light- Regulators for Motion-Picture Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lamp dimmers and more especially to means for automatically and synchronously regulating the light used inprojecting moving pictures, one of the objects of the invention being to provide .a novel means whereby the light striking the film may be varied automatically at certain predetermined points in the travel of the film.

These and other objects and details of the invention will be more fully described in the following specification, set forth in theclaims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the circuit controller forming a part of the device,

Fig. 2 is front view of the film guide and switch operator,

Fig. 3 is an interior View of the switch. Fig. 4 is a horizontal view through the line 44 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a diagramatic view of the de vice,

Fig. 6 is a sectional view through the contact bar,

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the circuit controller with certain parts broken away,

Fig. 8 is a rear view of the controller.

showing the circuits and the resistance coils.

That part of the invention shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 is located in the path of the film 10 on a moving picture projector and the film is at certain points in its length notched as at 11 and especially between certain scenes. The part referred to consists of a box 12 secured to the projector and having a hinged cross bar 13 carrying spring pressed shoes 14 which bear upon the film and lightly press it against the guides 15 in order to strengthen it laterally.

Impin'ging the edge of the film 10 is a roller 16 carried by the arm 17 of a bell crank lever that is pivoted at 18 to the inside of the box 12 and when the roller drops into'the notch 11 the arm 19 is allowed to move upward and contact is made between the point 20 and the insulated screw 21 in the cir- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 16, 1916. Serial No. 84,538.

cuit 22 (Fig. 5). The point 20 is connected by means of the wire 23 with the insulated binding post 24 which with the binding post 25 forms a part of the said circuit 22 and includes the source of energy 26, a

pilot lamp 27 and the solenoid 28.

The object of this circuit 22 is to operate an escapement pawl 29 (Figs. 7 and 8) carried at the end of the core 30 and acting on the ratchet wheel 31 on the shaft 32. The latter is journaled in a bracket 33, which also carries the pivot 34 of the pawl, and the outer end of the shaft 32 has secured to it a gear wheel 35 meshing with the rack bar 36 and forming a part of a frame comprising a guide block 37, sliding on the vertical bar 38, and-an insulating piece 39. This insulating piece supports a transverse bar 40 with the side arms 41 and 42 and in the arm 41 is hinged a bar 43 horizontally disposed across the front of the device and held in place by the latch 44 in the arm 42.

outer face of this slab are bus bars 51 corresponding with and in line with the points 45 but covered by an insulating card 52 whose lower edge is held in the grooved support 53 While the upper edge is clamped by means of nuts 54 beneath a bar 55.

The card 52, as will be seen in Fig. 1 is spaced to correspond with the scenes 0 a moving picture reel and horizontal lines provided to represent the division between the scenes while vertical lines are provided to correspond with the grades of light effect desired. At the intersections of these lines and successively along the horizontal lines perforations 56 are provided and at operate at a time but a perforation may extend over several scenic divisions as the bar 43 is permitted by,the escapement pawl 29 to drop by its gravity and the notch 11, permitting the closing of the circuit, advances the bar and its contact one scene whenever this division point is reached.

The system control-led and operated by the above described means is best shown in Fig. 5, where 57 and 58 i epresent the positive and negative of a light circuit, the lamps of which may be located at any desired point but preferably in the projecting apparatus. One of these lamps is here shown connected in one side 57 of the light circuit, the opposite side 58 being connected by means of the line 59 with a vertical bar 60 and by means of a sliding contact brush 61 carried by the bar 450, with the contacts 4.5 carried by the bar 43, In this view, the fourth contact point 45 from the right on bar 43 is shown passing through one of the perforations in the card 52, making contact with its bus bar 51, connecting the loop 62 with the fourth winding of the resistance coil or rheostat 63, the current passing through the part of the resistance coil or rheostat 63 between the point where the loop 62 is connected thereto and the loop 64, from which the circuit 57 is completed through the lamp.

It will be seen that when the last or left hand contact point 45 (Figs. 5 and 8) closes the lamp circuit through its bus bar 51 the resistance coil or rheostat 63 is cut out of the lamp circuit but that the balance of the contacts 45 provide the lamp circuit with more or less resistance and, consequently, reduce the amount of light, according to the requirements of the scene.

With each closing of the circuit 22 the escapement pawl 29 and. ratchet Wheel 31 are operated, (as heretofore described) causing the bar 43 and its contacts 45 to drop one space, as indicated by the horizontal lines on the card 52, so that one of the contacts 45 passes through one'of the perforations 56 in the card 52 and closes the lamp circuit through its bus bar 51 and the portion of the resistance coil 63 in said clrcuit. This operation is repeated for each change of scene, as indicated on the film by the notch 11 at the beginning of the scene.

The card 52 may be readily removed and a new card for another reel be substituted in which perforations are provided to agree with certain scenes and afford appropriate lighting for each.

In the operating of the device it is obvious that the parts may be otherwise arranged or modified without departing from the essential features above described or from the scope of the appended claims.

It will also be noted that the change of light is made between two successive pic- 'tures so that no pictures are lost. The automatic device immediately connects the light in circuit for succeeding pictures.

What we claim as new is:

1. In a lamp dimmer, the combination with a moving picture machine, of an electric circuit and a switch, means operated by the film for automatically closing the switch, a second electric circuit embracing a lamp, and means operated by the closing'of the switch to regulate the lamp.

2. In a lamp dimmer, the combination with a moving picture machine, of an electhe resistance of the rheostat to the lamp circuit. Y I 4. In a lamp dimmer, the combination with a moving picture machine, of a circuit embracing a lamp and a rheostat, a second circuit including a switch operated by movement of the film in the machine, means for controlling the circuit connections of the rheostat, and means actuated by the switch for operating the said rheostat controlling means.

5. In a lamp dimmer, the combination with a moving picture apparatus,-of an electric circuit having a switch adapted to be operated by movement of the film in the apparatus, a second electric circuit embracing a lamp and a rheostat. a series of contacts controlling the coils of the rheostat, means for selecting the preferred contact, and means operated by the switch for shifting the contacts to the preferred coil.

6. In lamp dimmers, the combination with amoving picture machine, of an electric circuit having a switch adapted to be closed by movement of the film in the machine, a solenoid in the circuit, a second circuit embracing a lamp and a rheostat, a series of contact points moved by the solenoid and each connecting the lamp with a, separate coil of the rheostat, and means controlling the selection of the contact.

7. In a lamp dimmer, the combination with a moving picture apparatus, of an electric circuit embracing a switch operated by a part of the apparatus, a solenoid, a second circuit including a lamp, a rheostat in the latter circuit and adapted to alter the power of the lamp, contact points controlling the rheostat. means operated by the solenoid for shifting the contact points, and means with a moving picture apparatus, of an electric circuit embracing a lamp, a rheostat, a bar connected with each COll of the rheostat, a carrier adapted to move along the bars and having corresponding contacts, and

means adapted to allow contact with one bar at a time; and a second circuit closed by movement of the film in the apparatus and having means for advancing the contact bar.

10. In a lamp dimmer, the combination with a moving picture apparatus, of an electric circuit comprising a lamp, a rheostat, a carrier bar with yielding contact points and a contact bar for each coil of the rheostat; an insulating card adapted to permit one contact to be made at a time, a second circuit having a switch adapted to be closed by the film in the moving picture apparatus, a solenoid in the latter circuit, and means operated by the solenoid for advancing the carrier bar.

l1 In a lamp dimmer, the combination with a moving picture apparatus, of an electric circuit embracing a lamp, a rheostat regulating the power of the lamp, contact strips connected with the coils of the rheost'at, a bar across the strips and adapted to travel along their length and spring pressed contacts carried by the bar; aninsulating card perforated to allow contact with one strip at a time, a second circuit, a switch closed by movement of the film in the moving picture apparatus, a solenoid, an escapement pawl operated by the same, and a ratchet wheel and a gear wheel adapted to advance the bar.

12. In an automatic light regulator, the combination with motion picture apparatus, of a source of light, and means adapted to be operated by the film for automatically regulating the intensity of said source of light.

13. In an automatic light regulator, the combination with motion picture apparatus, of a supply circuit including an electric lamp, and means adapted to be operated by the film for automatically regulating the amount of current in said circuit.

14:. In an automatic light regulator, the combination with motion picture apparatus, of means adapted to automatically regulate the'intensity of the light at certain predetermined points in the travel of the film;

15. In an automatic light regulator, the combination with motion picture apparatus, of a supply circuit including an electric lamp. and means for automatically regulating the current in said circuit at certain predetermined points in the travel of the film.

16. In an automatic light regulator, the combination with circuit closing means controlled by the film, of an electro-magnet energized by the circuit controlled by said circuit closing means, a resistance coil, means for closing an electric circuit passing through a predetermined portion of said resistance coil and an electric light, and means controlled by said electro-magnet adapted to automatically control said last named electric circuit through said resistance coil and light.

17 t In an automatic light regulator, the combination with circuit closing means controlled by the film, of an electro-magnet energized by the circuit controlled by'said circuit closing means, a resistance coil, means for closing an electric circuit passing through a predetermined portion of said resistance coil and an electric light, and an automatically operated electric switch controlled by said electro-magnet adapted to automatically control said last named electric circuit through said resistance coil and light.

18. In an automatic light regulator, a film, a light controlling device comprising" an electromagnet controlled by the film, a rack controlled by said electromagnet and carrying a contact piece, and a set of contact pieces which cooperate with said first named contact piece to form a switch.

Signed at the city of New York, county and State of- New York, this 13th day of March, 1916.

CHARLES R. CARLETON. GIDEON W. CARIJETON.

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